Poll: I hate the imperial system. America, I'm looking at you! Give it up, metric is simply better!!!!

[BlumiereBleck]

I've been thinking about this very subject for the past couple days. Weird.

The US is completely backwards in this regard. Switch to metric already, like the rest of the world.

So if the rest of the world were to start slaughtering people....and America was against it....we should join then ;} lets not use peer pressure

Yes, that's a completely fair comparison.

In a case like this, it would just save the world so much inconvenience if everyone used one unified system.

so cultures have no right to be different?

Okay man, come on. You're just twisting words now, I obviously didn't say that.

Since the US has such an influence on the rest of the world, everybody else is forced to learn two systems just because the US refuses to change. Everybody's aware of the benefits of switching, yet they stubbornly cling to their system for no apparent reason other than "It's the American way".

No one can force them to switch, but I have a right to express my displeasure.

But we dont want to! a bit of "british kids" want us to and we rufuse! Just because one is easier doesn't make it accurate....for hundreds of years we've been using the Imperial System...dont you want to go in and say "HEY WE CHANGED IT IMPERIAL SYSTEM IS GONE" to everyone? It's what we've been learning our whole lives...to change is like getting rid of books and replacing them with those online book ipad things.

Yes! Inconvenience the world for the convenience of a single country.

So, is it wrong to have a different way of doing things?

 

[Admiral Stukov]

I'm tired of hearing this stupid argument.

For the United States to switch to metric, Every factory and manufacturer would have to switch to metric at the exact same time for it to work. If one part of the manufacturing process went to metric and the other used standard measurements, then the entire production would be off. It's not that most of us don't want to switch. It's simply an impossible task.

On top of that every piece of machinery in the United States that uses Standard measurements would have to be destroyed, since it would be impossible to find tools to fix them.

So in short, yes metric is very nice and is more exact; however, for us to do so would mean the destruction and obsoletion of the largest amount of equipment in the world overnight.

Yes because all old tools would magically disappear upon converting to metric..
Does the words separate porduction lines mean anything to you?
The conversion could easily be done gradually.

 

[northeast rower]

America's been on the metric standard since the 70's, if I'm correct, but no one uses it.

 

[godofallu]

Why do foreigners care what system we choose to use? I could care less what system they use.

Us Americans have many faults, how is this the one (is it even one?) that you choose to complain about.

I'd pick government spending, or inept leadership, or intrusive foreign policy.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

I've been thinking about this very subject for the past couple days. Weird.

The US is completely backwards in this regard. Switch to metric already, like the rest of the world.

So if the rest of the world were to start slaughtering people....and America was against it....we should join then ;} lets not use peer pressure

Yes, that's a completely fair comparison.

In a case like this, it would just save the world so much inconvenience if everyone used one unified system.

so cultures have no right to be different?

Okay man, come on. You're just twisting words now, I obviously didn't say that.

Since the US has such an influence on the rest of the world, everybody else is forced to learn two systems just because the US refuses to change. Everybody's aware of the benefits of switching, yet they stubbornly cling to their system for no apparent reason other than "It's the American way".

No one can force them to switch, but I have a right to express my displeasure.

But we dont want to! a bit of "british kids" want us to and we rufuse! Just because one is easier doesn't make it accurate....for hundreds of years we've been using the Imperial System...dont you want to go in and say "HEY WE CHANGED IT IMPERIAL SYSTEM IS GONE" to everyone? It's what we've been learning our whole lives...to change is like getting rid of books and replacing them with those online book ipad things.

Yes! Inconvenience the world for the convenience of a single country.

So, is it wrong to have a different way of doing things?

So you're saying it's wrong to not kill orphans?

Look! I can say you said things that you never said too!

But what I'm saying is that maybe getting a collective head out of a collective ass for a selfless cause once in a while is a decent thing to do.

whats the cause? using meters...more conversions and a confusing system...in the Imperial you Have Miles, Yards, and Feet. for meters you have like 20.

 

[newdarkcloud]

I do like the metric system and can use it, but I'm just more comfortable with the Imperical system given that's what I mostly use.

 

[Wyes]

Why do foreigners care what system we choose to use? I could care less what system they use.

Us Americans have many faults, how is this the one (is it even one?) that you choose to complain about.

We care because it affects us. America is an industrial and technological powerhouse, and as such it deals a lot with foreign countries. However, as Slycne and others have pointed out, you do kinda already deal in metric with other countries, so that point is moot.

As for why foreigners should have a say... Well, from your point of view it's not really our business, and that's fair enough, America is a fairly insular country (which I think is odd). Though the 'it's none of your business' argument always reminds me of domestic disputes, where a neighbour or somesuch will confront the perpetrator only to be told it's 'none of their business'. Personally I always felt that if I'm aware of something like this going on, it's my duty to make it my business. But that doesn't really apply here, and I'm not trying to call America an abusive spouse, just talking about why I don't like the 'it's none of your business' point of view...

Spoiler

So exactly as I said, excellent examples of why metric is a poor every day use system of measurement. It's great for when precession is needed, but not every problem needs to be tackled so finely. If I just need to figure out how are to move and end table so that the couch doesn't hit the wall, the best system is the easiest one.

One thing I find strange every time this argument comes up is that few people seem to fully understand the two systems usages. For instance, neither the United States nor United Kingdom are binary for or against one system. While the UK has passed laws to only use metric for trade, imperial is still used in many day to day activities. No one gives you their weight in kilograms they give it to you in stones. Like wise while the US doesn't officially use metric - many consumer products, all the military and science do use it.

I guess I expressed myself pretty poorly; domestically, it doesn't matter particularly much what system a country is using.

However I think you're misrepresenting the metric system somewhat; no matter what system you're using, so long as it's standardised (which the imperial system is, I just think it's origins are weird, but that's a matter of opinion), you can always have the same amount of precision, so long as your system lies in the field of Real numbers (which both imperial and metric do).

You seem to be saying that the metric system is inherently more complicated (you talk of using whichever system is simpler in everyday use, and mention talking about weight in stones), though by it's very nature it's simpler. And it's sort of tangential, but in Australia we're a primarily metric system: the older generations use a greater amount of the imperial system compared to the metric system, but we all do use the metric system, including in general conversation. If you ask someone their weight in Australia, most people will tell you in kilograms, only people over the age of 50 or so will tell you their weight in stone(s?). If you ask their height however, you're equally likely to get it either in feet and inches or in cm/metres. However, I've noticed few people (in Australia) truly grasp dimensions in feet larger than 10 feet.

Of course, that doesn't mean that learning the metric system after having grown up using the imperial system would be easy, and no doubt it would seem more complicated trying to learn a whole new system. I guess in that sense it's like languages; everybody thinks their own language is the simplest and easiest to understand.

 

[Exile714]

I've heard people argue that French is superior to English because it is a difficult language to learn. Somehow, its difficulty makes those who learn it superior. Yet those same people argue that imperial measurements are inferior because they are too difficult to learn and use. Children from the US learn both metric and imperial and are expected to be able to use either and convert between them.

And before you go around saying the US is filled with stupid people, let me stop you and say: yes, it is. But a dirty little secret is that the US purposefully leaves a good percentage of its people dumb so that they won't complain when they have to be gas station attendants or garbage collectors. The dumbed-down children in the US bring grade and test score averages down, but that doesn't mean the educated US children aren't ten times smarter than most other kids in the world. They are. And they use imperial and metric interchangeably because they can.

 

[Slycne]

Spoiler

I guess I expressed myself pretty poorly; domestically, it doesn't matter particularly much what system a country is using.

However I think you're misrepresenting the metric system somewhat; no matter what system you're using, so long as it's standardised (which the imperial system is, I just think it's origins are weird, but that's a matter of opinion), you can always have the same amount of precision, so long as your system lies in the field of Real numbers (which both imperial and metric do).

You seem to be saying that the metric system is inherently more complicated (you talk of using whichever system is simpler in everyday use, and mention talking about weight in stones), though by it's very nature it's simpler. And it's sort of tangential, but in Australia we're a primarily metric system: the older generations use a greater amount of the imperial system compared to the metric system, but we all do use the metric system, including in general conversation. If you ask someone their weight in Australia, most people will tell you in kilograms, only people over the age of 50 or so will tell you their weight in stone(s?). If you ask their height however, you're equally likely to get it either in feet and inches or in cm/metres. However, I've noticed few people (in Australia) truly grasp dimensions in feet larger than 10 feet.

Of course, that doesn't mean that learning the metric system after having grown up using the imperial system would be easy, and no doubt it would seem more complicated trying to learn a whole new system. I guess in that sense it's like languages; everybody thinks their own language is the simplest and easiest to understand.

Perhaps I as well am not speaking plainly, the issue isn't that metric is more complicated per say, it's that its measurements are based on observances that a common person can not relate to. So while it's a superior system for say the precision of science, due to everything being decimals of one another. One has to be hard wired for its everyday use, making it less useful in that context.

If I say that I think the painting looks better a foot to the right, someone can easily perform that task by equating the distance of a foot in their head as it has a real world application of being approximately two lengths of their hand.

If I wanted to make the same adjustment in metric though, I would have to give them an measurement of .3048 meters. Now someone well versed in metric will likely know that distance decently well, but I only want the painting moved over a bit, it doesn't need to be perfectly aligned.

That said, I've heard some convincing argument that we should just waste the both of them and all move to a base 12 system.

 

[Skyline16]

i agree 100% im american, currently taking physics
we use metric, but i can't picture how big metric units are in my head
it's just how i was programmed

 

[Wyes]

That said, I've heard some convincing argument that we should just waste the both of them and all move to a base 12 system.

I admit I don't really know much about base 12, that could be very interesting...

 

[Tanis]

Metric is better, but I'm too lazy.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

I've been thinking about this very subject for the past couple days. Weird.

The US is completely backwards in this regard. Switch to metric already, like the rest of the world.

So if the rest of the world were to start slaughtering people....and America was against it....we should join then ;} lets not use peer pressure

Yes, that's a completely fair comparison.

In a case like this, it would just save the world so much inconvenience if everyone used one unified system.

so cultures have no right to be different?

Okay man, come on. You're just twisting words now, I obviously didn't say that.

Since the US has such an influence on the rest of the world, everybody else is forced to learn two systems just because the US refuses to change. Everybody's aware of the benefits of switching, yet they stubbornly cling to their system for no apparent reason other than "It's the American way".

No one can force them to switch, but I have a right to express my displeasure.

But we dont want to! a bit of "british kids" want us to and we rufuse! Just because one is easier doesn't make it accurate....for hundreds of years we've been using the Imperial System...dont you want to go in and say "HEY WE CHANGED IT IMPERIAL SYSTEM IS GONE" to everyone? It's what we've been learning our whole lives...to change is like getting rid of books and replacing them with those online book ipad things.

Adapting to change is a part of life. Obviously it would be a gradual change, not like you have put it. Besides, how do you think the rest of the world feels, having to do conversions when anything American comes up? Do you think we enjoy it? And yes, I do mean "rest of the world", not just Britain. Old does not equal good.

But jeez, keep using it if means that much to you. Just don't expect everyone else to appreciate America being different for the sake of it.

I will keep it thank you very much

Why would you even reply if you just wanted to say something as pointless as that?

I don't know why you feel you have some kind of bone to pick with me, but if dropping that aimless comment made you feel like you've accomplished something, then good for you.

sorry if it seemed like i had something to pick with you. actually it didnt, i honestly didnt know what else to say.

 

[spartan231490]

I'm an engineer. Imperial measurement is crap. It's nowhere near as useful as a simple base 10 numeric system.

'Pass me an 11/15ths socket please...?'

Come to think of it, it's not just distance. Weight also. Grams. So simple. It translates well through from tiny amounts to colossal masses.

Measure temperatures in centigrade. It's so much more practical! 0 deg C, is freezing, 100 deg C is boiling (water @ 1 ATM) If you don't like that, then at least use kelvin.

Surely the American scientific community use metric? Why can't the rest of America just get on board with the rest of the world?

In short, imperial sucks. Let it die.

P.S. I have no problem with the conversational use of imperial units. It's where, I believe we need a standard, global system for engineering and science.

Edit: there you go spell, nazis... happy? I've fixed the odd mistake and typo. BTW C.o.l.o.u.r.

Edit 2: For further reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication - Metrication
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system - Metric system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_system - Imperial system

Not gonna lie, I really dislike centigrade. I'm an engineering student and I agree with you on the metric system for engineering in general, it's easier on the math, but I can't think in metric(Especially centigrade, because that's also a hard conversion factor, much harder than the others.), so I like keeping it in imperial for normal day-to-day stuff. Like lumber and tools.

 

[sogortheogre]

I am studying geology at university right now (I started calling it university even though I am American... makes more sense to me) and I wish everyone would use the metric system. That is all I use my calculations, and it is infinitely easier and more useful than the imperial system.